Chun-bong's face froze as she processed the scene in front of her.
Her movements stiff and mechanical, she slowly turned her head to Seo-jun, her eyes cold and piercing.
"You… you bastard…"
"Excuse me?"
"How could you…? This… this…"
Her body trembled violently as tears welled up in her eyes.
Seo-jun was baffled. What was going on?
Finally, unable to contain herself, Chun-bong let out an ear-piercing scream.
"You scumbag! Just die! No—just go become a eunuch already!"
Then, with a flurry of footsteps, she dashed away, disappearing from sight.
"What the… Hey! Kim Chun-bong…! Why you say mean things!?" Seo-jun called after her, exasperated, but she was already gone.
Left standing in confusion, he turned to Namgung Su-a with a helpless expression.
"What did I do, Sister?"
"Hm…"
Namgung Su-a looked back and forth between the courtesans and Seo-jun, her lips curling into a subtle smile.
"Who might these ladies be? Guests?"
"Kind of. I was thinking of asking if they could work here as maids."
"Well, that's not difficult to arrange."
Namgung Su-a stepped closer to Seo-jun, stopping just a breath away.
Her blue eyes glinted as she tilted her head, her usual gentle smile replaced with something sharper, more probing.
"But… what’s going on? They seem like courtesans, and you disappeared without a word only to come back saying you want them as maids. Care to explain?"
And here came the real problem.
Describe how a wife might feel when her husband comes home after an unexplained absence with a group of courtesans and says he wants to hire them as maids.
"Oh," Seo-jun muttered, realization dawning as he clapped his fist into his palm.
"This is a misunderstanding."
Resolving the misunderstanding wasn’t hard.
After a brief explanation, Namgung Su-a nodded, the tension in her features melting away. She even smiled warmly as she escorted the courtesans to the household staff for proper arrangements.
Seo-jun finally relaxed and sighed in relief.
"Whew. Hey, Kim Chun-bong! You can come back now!"
From her hiding spot in the distance, Chun-bong cautiously stepped forward, her face tinged with guilt.
Clearly, she’d overheard enough to realize her mistake.
‘Hehe, just as planned.’
Seo-jun smirked slyly.
This was a case where Chun-bong’s infamous lie detector instincts had backfired. While it was true that Seo-jun hadn’t done anything inappropriate with the courtesans, the full story of Baek Seo-jun’s involvement was another matter entirely.
But as far as Chun-bong was concerned, the surface truth was enough, and she didn’t press further.
Which meant Seo-jun was safe from any further scolding.
He grinned brightly at Chun-bong, who fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I mean, you can see how it looked, though…" she muttered.
"Still, wishing I’d become a eunuch? When did I ever teach you to say such mean things!?"
"I didn’t mean it!"
"Sure, sure, my dear Kim Chun-bong, you’re a good kid."
"Stop giving me more nicknames!"
"That’s one request I can’t fulfill, not even for you, Chun-bui."
Chun-bong puffed out her cheeks, glaring daggers at him as Seo-jun chuckled.
"Fine," he said. "I’ll make it up to you with a gift."
"…What gift?"
"You’ve got a duel with Sister Su-a tomorrow."
"Huh?"
Chun-bong tilted her head, confused.
"How do you know that?"
"I asked the Abbot. He told me."
"Really? He didn’t seem like the type to go out of his way like that."
"I did him a favor."
Seo-jun referred to his earlier efforts in facilitating the internal energy inspection. That wasn’t all—he’d also handled issues like the duel with Ju Cheol-yak and even given Hye-un some profound insights for his growth.
From the Abbot’s perspective, sharing a duel schedule was a trivial courtesy in return.
Of course, all of these events were the result of chaos Seo-jun had caused himself… but wasn’t it better to focus on the positives?
With a grin, he added, "So today, you can skip the Yongbong Gathering and relax."
"Ooooh…"
Chun-bong smacked her lips thoughtfully.
"There’s this spicy hotpot I’ve been wanting to try."
"Do you have to eat that?"
"You can eat something else. I’m eating the hotpot."
"Hm."
Seo-jun shrugged.
"We’ll see."
++
Exploring the lively streets of Hanyang with Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a, Seo-jun found the hours slipping away effortlessly.
“Aren’t you… the renowned Jin Gi-jaecheon?”
“Sorry, no photos,” Seo-jun replied curtly.
“...What?”
It wasn’t surprising that he was recognized often; the duel with Ju Cheol-yak had only taken place a few days ago. Fortunately, few people dared approach him outright—interacting with a transcendent martial artist wasn’t something most had the nerve to do.
Chewing on a piece of crispy candied fruit, Seo-jun wore a serious expression.
“Why does this taste so good?”
“Didn’t I say it’d be delicious?” Chun-bong said smugly, holding two sticks of the snack, one in each hand.
“It doesn’t make sense. But it really is.”
The trio entered a cozy guesthouse, each holding their respective snacks, and ordered some food.
“Are your preparations going well?” Seo-jun asked Namgung Su-a.
She flashed a knowing smile.
“Hmm… maybe?”
“Oh, what’s this? Are you finally getting the hang of it?”
Seo-jun had given Namgung Su-a an important task: finding the direction of her intent.
In martial arts, especially for someone on the verge of transcendence, defining the intent behind one’s martial heart was crucial. It was the guiding beacon that steered growth and ensured one didn’t stray down fruitless paths.
“Our Chun-bong already seems to have a clear direction with her Chun-bong Divine Art.”
“Mm-hmm! It won’t be long until I reach transcendence.”
“Our Chun-bui is amazing!”
Their conversation flowed naturally, interrupted only by the arrival of their food. The group had taken a table on the third floor of the guesthouse, a quiet area frequented mostly by martial artists.
It was the perfect place—few would bother them, and anyone who might try would likely back off with a single glare from Seo-jun.
As they enjoyed their meal, Seo-jun found himself wiping oil from Chun-bong’s mouth, deboning her meat, and even coaxing her to eat a few more bites despite her complaints about being full.
That’s when he felt a gaze.
“What’s this?”
Turning his head, Seo-jun spotted a familiar face. With a wave, he called out, “You here to eat too?”
Standing a few tables away, Hwang Bo-joon froze with an awkward smile. Beside him, Hwang Bo-hyeji stared wide-eyed at Seo-jun and his group.
Hwang Bo-joon quickly transmitted a message to Hwang Bo-hyeji.
[Don’t do anything rash. The last thing we need is to draw that monster’s attention.]
[Huh? What?]
[Just greet them and let’s leave quietly, understand?]
Patting her on the back, he signaled her to act natural.
Hwang Bo-hyeji bowed politely.
“Nice to meet you, senior. Namgung So-ju and Geum So-ju as well. I’m Hyeji of the Hwang Bo clan.”
Seo-jun gave her a friendly nod.
“Good to meet you. I heard about you from Myeong.”
“Y-you mean Namgung So-hyeop?”
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
‘Future sister-in-law, perhaps?’
Seo-jun’s expression softened as he watched her before turning his gaze to Hwang Bo-joon.
“And you, you little punk. What’s this about calling me a monster? Trying to get yourself killed?”
“...What are you talking about?”
“Think I can’t hear your sound transmission?”
Unfortunately for Hwang Bo-joon, Seo-jun could hear everything.
Sound transmission was just an application of internal energy vibrations, and to someone of Seo-jun’s level, it was child’s play to intercept.
By the time one reached the pinnacle, overhearing ordinary sound transmissions was as simple as breathing.
“…Eavesdropping isn’t exactly honorable,” Hwang Bo-joon muttered.
“What was that?”
“…Sorry.”
“Better be.”
Seo-jun raised a threatening fist, prompting Hwang Bo-joon to retreat a step.
“Anyway, what are you two doing here?”
“Can’t an uncle take his grandniece out for a meal?”
“Grandniece?”
Seo-jun glanced between the two of them.
“Her mother’s my niece,” Hwang Bo-joon explained.
“What.”
For Hwang Bo-joon to have a niece with a daughter this old… how old was he?
Rather than dwell on the mathematics, Seo-jun shrugged it off.
“Well, enjoy yourselves.”
“You don’t need to tell me.”
Seo-jun stared pointedly, and Hwang Bo-joon hurriedly added, “…Thanks.”
“That’s more like it.”
Smirking, Seo-jun waved them off as they found a table and sat down.
‘Something’s off with that family.’
From the fleeting look he’d caught earlier, Hyeji’s expression hadn’t been the most cheerful.
Not that she was confirmed as Namgung Myeong’s future wife, but it didn’t hurt to keep an eye out.
+++
The final day of the round of 32 had arrived.
It was hard to believe that even a prestigious tournament like the Yongbongjihoe was still in this early stage.
“When’s our Chunbui coming out?” Seo-jun grumbled as he lounged in his seat.
Chun-bong’s turn was second. The first duel had just started, meaning it needed to finish before Chun-bong’s match could begin.
About a quarter of an hour later, the first match concluded. The winner was Peng Do-jin of the Hebei Peng Clan.
Given the Peng Clan bordered the domain of the Dark Alliance, Seo-jun hadn’t expected them to participate in the Yongbongjihoe. It seemed they’d sent a promising younger generation member after all.
‘Were they deliberately keeping their aces back?’
He shrugged off the thought. It wasn’t his concern.
Finally, it was Chun-bong’s turn.
“Chun... Geum-hee, good luck!” Seo-jun cheered enthusiastically.
Chun-bong ascended to the stage with a slightly annoyed expression.
‘Geum-hee, really?’
Her lips jutted out in a slight pout. While she had a fondness for the name Geum-hee, she preferred her brother to call her Chun-bong.
Steadying herself, she took a deep breath, focusing her mind. Nothing was more disgraceful than losing because of carelessness.
When the referee signaled the start, the duel began.
It was over in the blink of an eye.
“What the…”
Before Seo-jun could fully absorb the scene, Chun-bong’s match had already ended.
Her opponent wasn’t from one of the Sixteen Great Houses, but to see a duel conclude so quickly left Seo-jun feeling a mix of awe and disappointment.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
“Geum-hee! Geum-hee!” “Amazing!” Unlike the audience, Seo-jun was left with a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.
“Man, that was too quick.”
He plopped back into his seat, arms crossed. After standing to cheer her on, the abrupt finish left him with nothing to do but wait for Namgung Su-a’s match.
Seo-jun’s thoughts drifted to the impending discussions.
‘There’s going to be a lot of talk at tonight’s meeting.’
The issues surrounding Baek Seo-jun and the Dark Alliance would undoubtedly dominate the conversation.
The effortless breach of Shaolin’s domain—revered as a beacon of righteousness in the martial world—wasn’t something that could be glossed over.
And then there was another topic that might surface.
‘Maybe they’ll finally bring up Jong-in?’
A former elder of the Mount Hua Sect suspected of colluding with the Dark Alliance. Seo-jun himself had decapitated the man, but there had been a conspicuous lack of discussion about it ever since.
With the current stir surrounding Ju Cheol-yak, it seemed likely the matter would resurface.
‘Should we just pin everything on the Dark Alliance?’
The Mount Hua elder had been present when Namgung Su-a demonstrated her Changgung Mu-ae Swordsmanship. If the Mount Hua Sect had found any trace of that, surely they would have raised the issue by now.
But since they hadn’t, it meant their tracks had been effectively covered.
Shifting blame to the Dark Alliance might be the most expedient solution.
‘Not only did the Dark Alliance assassinate the Grand General, but they also took out Mount Hua’s elder.’
How convenient. Truly, the Dark Alliance seemed destined to be the villain of every tale.
The third match concluded, with Eun Wi-ryong of the Wudang Sect emerging victorious.
Finally, it was time for Namgung Su-a’s turn.
Seo-jun shot to his feet.
“Nuna, good luck!”
Namgung Su-a chuckled softly, waving at him.
“Representing the Namgung family, Namgung Su-a!” She ascended the stage, carrying a blade longer than her own height.
“Representing the Qingcheng Sect, Qing Song!” Her opponent was Qing Song, a close friend of Namgung Myeong.
Standing opposite Namgung Su-a, Qing Song greeted her with a polite smile.
“We meet again, Lady Namgung.”
“Likewise.”
They exchanged respectful salutes.
Watching the scene, Seo-jun clicked his tongue.
“What’s with the attitude? Isn’t he younger than her?”
Beside him, Hong An-gae raised an eyebrow.
“Aren’t they around the same age?”
“What are you talking about? He’s Myeong’s friend.”
“What does that have to do with age?”
“…Good point.”
Scratching his head, Seo-jun conceded.
Hong An-gae’s expression turned contemplative.
“By the way, I’ve been thinking. To overwhelm the Grand General like that and vanish without a trace... it has to be the Ice Palace Lord, doesn’t it?”
Seo-jun waved off the remark, feigning indifference.
“…Let’s save that for the meeting. Right now, let’s focus on the match.”
“Fair enough. After all, it’s Namgung’s turn now.”
“Begin!” The referee’s signal marked the start of the duel.
Seo-jun leaned forward, his eyes glued to the stage.
‘She said she’s getting the hang of it.’
What shape would her martial intent take?
The anticipation was almost unbearable.